Sunday, February 8, 2009

Rodeo, Take One

We arrived at the Rice Arena at 10 am. Just in time for signing the Cowpokes up for some events and then Mr. Cowboy warmed up Peanut. While writing down which events were being offered, the lady behind the table mentioned that they had forgotten all their music and didn't have the National Anthem. So, I volunteered to sing the National Anthem. I don't know why I do such things. It just blurted out of my mouth. I hate singing in front of people. I get so nervous. But I sang, and coughed in the middle of the song and had to stop singing. Embarrassing. But I finished it and I had a bunch of compliments on how great it sounded. Oh my, I was super nervous. But anyway, after that torture of singing, that I put myself through, I went and checked on Mr. Cowboy and Peanut.

I was amazed at how different Peanut was acting. At home he was antsy and nervous. At the arena, he was an angel. We did give him a half cc of Ace about 20 minutes before Little Cowpoke rode barrels. He was the first to go. I just wanted to make sure Peanut was going to be mellow. And he was. The medicine wears off in about an hour and a half, and when it wore off, Peanut was an angel. I couldn't have asked for a better horse. We went to the rodeo with my step mother in law's grandson. He rides my father in law's horse, Fancy. She loves barrels. The boy does well, but he won't listen to any advice I try to give him. I am by far not a barrel expert, but I do try to help him out. It was a perfect sunny day. I didn't edit the sky at all. It was really that crazy blue! Big Cowpoke and his Cousin, then went to warm up the horses. Here is Big Cowpoke on Peanut. If I had had a video camera, you could have heard Little Cowpoke screaming and crying because he wanted to ride Peanut first. Big Cowpoke is such a champ. He was really excited about Peanut being so good. And he was excited about being able to warm him up. Well, technically Mr. Cowboy already warmed him up, but we let Big Cowpoke do it too. While the boys were warming I took some more pictures. Big Cowpoke does this standing thing when he canters. I am not sure what that is all about, but I need to work with him on sitting down. He really wants to be a roper, but I think even ropers sit back a bit.

Around and around they went. I then asked Big Cowpoke to "whoa" Peanut and bring him into the middle to stand and calm down a bit. So, they "whoaed", and walked into the middle. Peanut was calm and stood very polite. Then I noticed something. What an absolutely adorable little frame Peanut has here. Big Cowpoke had his reins relaxed and everything. I really do think Peanut was shown at some point in his life. Because really, what horse just "naturally" stands like that when you bring them into the center of a "ring". I am defiantly seeing him being a Half Arabian. But after they stood for a little while, it was to the back trailer until they announced my Cowpoke's name. I would have never let my Cowpokes ride around with out me in front of their horse. But Peanut was being really great.

And he had Fancy to ride next to. Little Cowpoke's barrel pattern was the first event. I ran out in front of Peanut. Mr. Cowboy took these pictures and I didn't have the camera settings right, so they are blurry. Around the first barrel. You can see me pointing with my arm. I try hard to get the kids to look where they are supposed to. I put my arm out lik I am riding, so they can copy me. It has worked really well with Little Cowpoke. (Looking at this picture, I think I should run more often.)Little Cowpoke rounding the third barrel, all by himself, the little stud!! We are running home! He had a time of 54 seconds. Little Cowpoke got a third place ribbon. He was so excited. The competition at this rodeo is a lot less, then at our other Club. We really could go to a different Riding or Rodeo club each weekend, if we wanted to. But we are just trying two clubs this year. The Rodeo Club we rode in this past weekend, is a fairly new club and there are a lot of beginner riders. Which is great for my beginner riders. Big Cowpoke went next. At home, Big Cowpoke has been doing the barrel patter wrong. He goes into the first barrel backwards. I even set up cones to help him out. He was getting it right yesterday. But he was arguing with Mr. Cowboy about how to do it, and he did it wrong.

Look at how good Peanut is being while Big Cowpoke argues about the pattern. They loped in and headed straight for that first barrel. But they were to the outside of the barrel. We all tried to yell at him, "Go Around the other WAY!" But Big Cowpoke was concentrating to hard and didn't hear us. He did awesome around the third barrel. Big Cowpoke is really picking up well on using he legs and trying to make Peanut move off of his legs and less hands. It's really great. Coming a bit wide out of the third barrel, and then off they go back home. I know this picture is so blurry, but I love it. I need to learn to hold my camera still when taking pictures. I thought I had the shutter button turned on for continuous shooting, but I didn't. So, when I moved my camera, it only took one shot. Next time I will do better. Big Cowpoke's time was a 27 and he would have got third place. But he was a No Time, being that he missed the first barrel. But Big Cowpoke made up for it in the flags. He and Peanut got first place. I didn't get a picture of the HUGE smile that came across his face. He gave Peanut a huge hug and lots of love. I still get all happy when I think about how happy Big Cowpoke was. And all this happened before lunch! We were really excited about the Cowpokes' winnings. I really hope we can make enough rodeos to be in a running for their year end awards. The awards we won this year were just for participating. We are hoping that maybe the Cowpokes will be able to get a saddle this year at the new Rodeo Club.

Oh Andrea! Look at them GO!! That is so excellent- it is giving me some good motivation to get the pony out and work with him more and get my guys actually working on RIDING instead of the pony rides we do.

Mega Huge congrats to the boys on jobs most excellently done there! (And you too there Mom!!)

Awww-so glad to hear Peanut settled down and did his job well. What a good pony!!

When big cowpoke figures out that pattern, he will be winning for sure!! I have a girl in 4-H that consistently practiced her pole pattern wrong. I have tried to help her with it, but keep getting the "I Know" routine. So when she went into the show and did it wrong, she started crying. After that she remembered to practice the pattern correctly. Big Cowpoke probably won't make the same mistake twice either!!;)